Class rules, you ask? They’re pretty simple … a few typical ones include:
- Hats off when you come in the door, and they stay off until you leave class. Same with hoodies.
- Make an effort to be on time. If you’re late for any reason, you should have a note.
- Cell phones, iPods, MP3s, etc., are to be turned off and kept out of sight.
- A water bottle is acceptable in class … any other food or beverage will be confiscated. But please fill the water bottle during break and not during class time.
- Keep washroom requests to a minimum, and don’t ask for the first and last 15 min. of class.
- Respect the furniture … do not mark on desks and do not leave garbage behind.
- If you bring kitbags into class, be sure they’re out of the aisles, or you may be asked to leave them in your locker (after all, isn’t that why you have a locker in the first place?!).
- Do NOT line up at the door at the end of class … stay in your seats, please.
- You are responsible for all work you miss … more on this below.
Basically, it’s all about respect. Respect yourself and others in the classroom. That involves not interfering with others who are trying to learn, as well as not interfering with me as I present the material. Don’t be a distraction to me and to other students. You’ll be asked to leave.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If something isn’t clear, stop me and ask – right away!
• Work on your math on a nightly basis. Although I give you time to work on problems in class, you may need to tie up some loose ends at home and to go over the notes from that day. I ask that you spend 30 minutes each night on your math … it’s not much to ask, and speaking from experience, it’ll get you much further ahead than doing nothing until the night before a test and trying to cram then. You’ll also be prepared for surprise snappers and frequent homework checks!
• Remember that learning math is a two-way street. I’ll do everything that I can to help you learn the material, but … you must be willing to meet me halfway and work on it yourself too. Study your notes … make an honest effort to try the homework … put in your half-hour each night … ask lots of questions in class … go to the extra-help. If you’re not putting any effort into the course, it will be very difficult for me to help you succeed.
• You are responsible for all work missed during an absence. If you know in advance that you’re going to be missing some class time, let me know and I can let you in on what we’ll be doing. Otherwise, if you miss a class or two, call or e-mail a friend to get the missed work. The excuse “I didn’t know we had to do that … I wasn’t here yesterday” will not succeed with me.
• The weekly assignments allow you to figure out what topics you need to spend more time on, and it’s critical that you complete them on your own. Otherwise, you’re missing the whole point of doing the assignment in the first place. Copying someone else’s assignment will be more trouble than it’s worth, both for you and for the student who provided the assignment … in my eyes, both are equally responsible, and I simply “split the mark.” If you work with other students on the assignments, indicate this by writing their names on your copy before passing it in.
• I’m always open to suggestions. If you like the way I’m doing something in the course, tell me. If something else is not working at all and you have a suggestion for improvement, let me know! Any input from you will be greatly appreciated!
